Windscreen wiper connector with internal electrical contact forming a spring

ABSTRACT

Connector for retaining a wiper ( 3 ) on a windscreen wiper arm, including an internal electrical connection device between, on the one hand, an electrical connector connected to the electrical circuit of the vehicle and, on the other hand, at least one heating element ( 11 ) deposited on a reinforcement ( 20 ) implanted in said wiper, characterized in that said internal connecting device includes at least one metal part ( 10 ) extending perpendicularly to the heating element ( 11 ) and exerting pressure against it so as to ensure a permanent contact with said heating element ( 11 ).

This application is a continuation application of U.S. patentapplication Ser. No. 13/805,431 filed Dec. 19, 2012, which is a nationalstage application of PCT/EP2011/060472 filed Jun. 22, 2011, which claimspriority to FR 1002780 filed Jun. 30, 2010.

The field of the present invention is that of equipment for vehicles andmore particularly that of equipments for wiping the windscreen of motorcars.

Motor cars are routinely equipped with wiping and washing systems forwiping and washing the windscreen and preventing distortion of the viewthat the driver has of their environment. These wiping systems comprisearms effecting an angular to-and-fro movement, at the end of which areinstalled elongate wipers themselves carrying squeegee blades producedin an elastic material. These blades rub against the windscreen andevacuate the water out of the field view of the driver. The wipers areproduced in the form, either, in a classic version, of articulatedbrackets that hold the squeegee blade at a plurality of discretelocations, or, in a more recent, so-called “flat blade” version, asemi-rigid assembly that holds the squeegee blade over all its length.In both solutions the wiper is attached to the turning arm of thewindscreen wiper by an assembly consisting of a mechanical connector andan adapter. The connector is a part that is fixed directly to thestructure of the wiper or directly to the flat blade, the adapter beingan intermediate part enabling fixing of the connector to the windscreenwiper arm. These two parts are connected to each other by a transverseshaft that allows relative rotation thereof.

Windscreen wipers are also equipped with devices for feeding awindscreen washing liquid that is fed from a tank situated on thevehicle and that is sprayed in the direction of the windscreen bynozzles generally situated on the bonnet or on the grille of thewindscreen frame, or on the windscreen wiper itself for improveddistribution of the liquid. In the case of nozzles placed on the wipers,the windscreen washing liquid is fed, before being distributed betweenthem, by pipes that are fixed to the arm of the windscreen wiper andthat are connected to the distribution system of the wiper at the levelof the connector. The connector thus includes orifices adapted toreceive the ends of said pipes by way of a watertight connection.

Also encountered in the motor vehicle after-sales service field aredevices for heating the windscreen for de-icing the wiper in very coldweather and preventing ice from sticking it to the windscreen. Thesedevices, which are more specifically suited to flat blade wipers,generally include a vertebra integrated into the whole of the squeegeeblade and on which electrical heating elements are disposed. They alsonecessitate an electrical connection device, placed at the level of theconnector, for transmitting to the vertebra the electrical currentcoming from the vehicle.

The vertebra is constituted of a rigid sole on which two metal tracks inwhich the electrical current flows are deposited to form a heatingelement. The connector must transmit the current, prevent short circuitsand ensure a good contact with the heating elements.

An object of the present invention is to improve the situation byproposing feeding of the electrical current inside the connector assimply as possible for reasons of manufacturing simplicity and cost,whilst guaranteeing absence of short circuits and good contact with theheating elements, notably the heating resistances implanted on thevertebra, despite any loads linked either to the level of vibration orto imperfections of the road.

To this end, the invention consists in a retaining connector between awiper and a windscreen wiper arm, including an internal electricalconnection device between, on the one hand, an electrical connectorconnected to the electrical circuit of the vehicle and, on the otherhand, at least one heating element implanted in said wiper. It ischaracterized in that said internal connecting device includes at leastone metal part exerting pressure against said heating element so as toensure a permanent contact with said heating element.

Thanks to this pressing against the heating element, the contact betweenthe device internal to the connector and the heating element is ensuredregardless of the loads, notably vibrations or impacts, suffered by thewiping system as a result of imperfections of the road on which thevehicle is moving.

Of course, the mechanical connection between the wiper and thewindscreen wiper arm can be provided by means of an additionalconnecting part called an adapter.

Said metal part is perpendicular to said heating element.

In one embodiment, said metal part exerts its pressure via a conductiveseal that also has a hydraulic sealing function between a hollow columnin the connector and the exterior thereof, Thus a single part providesthe electrical contact and the necessary isolation between the interiorand the exterior of the connector.

Said metal part advantageously has a compression spring function.

In one particular embodiment said metal part is a tongue terminating atits lower end in a curved manner, for example in a crook shape curvingupwards, i.e. toward a cover closing an orifice in the hollow column.

Said metal part is preferably force-fitted in the hollow column in saidconnector substantially perpendicularly to said heating element.

Said metal part more preferably includes asperities forming non-returndevices of said metal part in said column.

Alternatively, the metal part is positioned in the cover that closes aconnector, mechanical forces being taken up by the connection betweenthe cover and the connector.

In another embodiment, said metal part is extended at its lower end by afoot or conductive seal extending in a direction inclined relative tothe plane in which the heating element lies, said foot being providedwith a contact lug extending in the plane of said heating element. Inthis case, the contact lug also has a compression spring function.

The invention also consists in a windscreen wiper comprising areinforcement that extends lengthwise of the wiper and on which theheating element is deposited, the wiper being provided with a connectoras described above.

The invention further consists in a vehicle windscreen wiper arm onwhich such a wiper is mounted.

The invention will be better understood, and other objects, details,features and advantages thereof will become more clearly apparent in thelight of the following detailed explanatory description with referenceto the appended diagrammatic drawings of a plurality of embodiments ofthe invention that are purely illustrative and not limiting on theinvention.

In those drawings:

FIG. 1 is a general perspective view of a motor vehicle windscreenwiper;

FIG. 2 shows a detail of FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is a perspective view of a windscreen wiper connector showingpartly in section its internal electrical connection in a firstembodiment;

FIG. 4 is a perspective view of a windscreen wiper connector showingpartly in section its internal electrical connection in a secondembodiment;

FIG. 5 is a perspective view from below of the connector from FIG. 5;

FIG. 6 is a perspective view in longitudinal section of a connector in athird embodiment, and

FIG. 7 is a perspective view of the internal electrical connection ofthe connector from FIG. 6.

Referring to FIGS. 1 and 2, there is seen a windscreen wiper classicallycomposed of a wiper support or arm 1 terminating at its end in a yoke 2that is crimped to the arm 1 and the function of which is, via anadapter, to support the wiper 3 carried by its connector 4.Alternatively, this yoke may equally be formed at the end of the arm bydeformation thereof and with the arm constitute a unitary assembly.

The wiper 3 includes a metal reinforcement or vertebra that takes theform of a small blade integrated into the length of a squeegee portionof the wiper. This reinforcement supports heating elements, notablyheating resistances, for heating the structure of the wiper and de-icingit in very cold weather, which enables the mechanical characteristics ofthe plastics constituting the wiper to be preserved.

Referring now to FIG. 3, there is seen a connector 4 mounted on a wiper3. It includes two windscreen washing liquid feed tubes 5, which washingliquid passes through internal pipes of the connector 4 and isdistributed to two distribution manifolds 6 to be sprayed onto thewindscreen via nozzles positioned along all of the wiper 3. It alsoincludes an electrical circuit for distribution of the current that isfed via two feed wires 7 carried by the arm 1. These wires 7 terminatein terminals 8 the function of which is to provide electrical contactsfor electrical connection means internal to the connector 4 describedhereinafter. These terminals 8 are positioned in a cover 9 that iscarried by the connector 4 and that seals the live components from theoutside, notably the surrounding water. Under the cover 9, inside theconnector 4, there is seen a vertical hollow column 17, perpendicular tothe heating element 11 or to the vertebra 20 inserted into the wiper 3,in which is positioned a metal part 10 providing the electricalconnection between the electrical current feed wire 7 and a heatingelement 11 deposited on the vertebra 20. The metal parts 10 take theform of tongues but each of them includes, at its upper end, a slot inwhich one of the terminals 8 is inserted to provide a so-called forktype connection. Their lower end, on the other hand, is produced in theform of a crook 12, curving upwards i.e. toward the cover 9, whichcreates a spring contact against the heating elements 11. The connectorthus comprises two hollow columns 17 inside which extends a metal partor tongue.

To retain them in the hollow column 17 of the connector 4 and tomaintain a permanent bearing force against the heating element 11, thetongues 10 are provided with asperities, of the barb type, and areforce-fitted into the connector. The barbs penetrate into the plasticmaterial constituting the plastic body of the connector, which preventsthe tongues 10 from being able to move in the reverse direction aftertheir implantation and the contact between them and the heating elementsfrom being broken. Alternatively, the tongues 10 are fixed or fastenedagainst the bottom of the cover 9 in collaboration with the terminals 8.The permanence of a bearing force against the heating elements 11 isthen guaranteed by the mechanical connection between the cover 9 and thebody of the connector 4.

The cover 9 is assembled to the connector 4 by gluing, moulding orclipping and, in the latter case, a seal is added to make the sealbetween the cover 9 and the connector 4.

A second embodiment will now be described with reference to FIGS. 4 and5. The elements of the connector identical to the first embodiment aredesignated by the same reference and are not described again. The secondembodiment is distinguished from the first essentially in that thetongues 10 are shorter than in the first embodiment and consequently arenot in direct contact with the heating elements 11 of the wiper 3.Contact is made via conductive seals 13 that contribute to the springand damping function that the tongues 10 alone provide in the firstembodiment. These conductive seals 13 also provide a watertight sealbetween the exterior of the connector and the interior thereof, at thelevel of the hollow columns 17.

These seals 13 are produced in an elastic material charged with metalparticles to ensure their electrical conductivity whilst guaranteeingsufficient flexibility to provide their sealing function and acompression spring function. As can be seen in FIG. 5, they arepositioned so as to pass through the lower base of the connector and tocome into contact with the heating elements 11. The contribution ofthese seals 13 lies in the natural creation of a seal between theconnector 4 and the wiper 3, which avoids the use of a resin to seal theassembly.

FIGS. 6 and 7 show a third embodiment of the invention. In FIG. 6, theconnector 4 is shown in section on a median longitudinal plane in orderto make the internal cavities in which the metal connectors areimplanted visible.

The terminals 8 that receive the electrical current coming from thevehicle via an electrical connector are inserted into a horizontal slot18 while the tongues 10 are implanted in vertical hollow columns 17. Theterminals 8 terminate at their end intended to cooperate with the tongue10 in two teeth forming a fork attachment in which said tongues areinserted.

Referring more particularly to FIG. 7, there are seen the terminals 8positioned in an electrical connector 30 in which they are retained andto which are connected the feeder wires (reference 7, FIG. 3) comingfrom the vehicle, more particularly coming from an electrical connectorof the vehicle. In this third embodiment the tongues 10 are extended bya second tongue 14 that extends longitudinally and is divided into twofeet 15. These two feet have a slope inclined relative to thehorizontal, i.e. relative to the plane of the heating element 11deposited on the vertebra or reinforcement 20 inserted in the wiper 3,which generates a spring effect if pressure is applied vertically to thefirst tongue 10. The feet 15 end in claws 16 that are in contact withthe heating elements 11 deposited on the vertebra of the wiper.

The operation of the electrical connection inside the connector 4 of thefirst embodiment will now be described. The operation of this connectionis exactly the same in the second and third embodiments.

The electrical current arrives at the level of the connector 4 via thefeeder wires 7 that are connected to the vehicle via an electricalconnector, of the type referenced 30 in FIG. 7. It enters the connector4 at the level of its cover 9 that provides the seal between the baremetal contacts placed inside it and the outside environment, which maybe drenched by water falling onto the windscreen wiper. The currentpasses from the feed wires 7 to the tongue 10 thanks to the terminal 8and its contact with the slot positioned at the upper end thereof, andthen into the heating elements 11 deposited on the vertebra 20 of thewiper 3, where it is converted to heat by the Joule effect, to heat thestructure of the wiper and therefore combat icing up.

The pressure of the tongue 10 against the heating elements 11, which isobtained by the force fitting of the tongue and its barbed asperities orby the fixing of the tongue into the cover, guarantees contact of goodquality between the two metal parts and a permanent contact despite theloads to which they are subjected as a result of vibration and jarringcaused by the irregularities of the road.

In the second embodiment the pressurization is assured by the crushingof the conductive seals 13 by the shortened tongue 10, which is aspreviously force-fitted into the connector 4. As indicated above, thisseal also provides a sealing function between the tongue 10 and theheating element 11 at the level of the passage through the lower base ofthe connector 4.

In the third embodiment, the pressurization is assured by the upperportion of the connector 4, which bears on the tongue 10 and causesrelative separation of the two feet 15, pressing the lugs 16 against theheating elements 11.

The invention claimed is:
 1. A windscreen wiper blade assemblycomprising: a wiper that includes a wiping rubber with a wiper lip; atleast one vertebra disposed on the wiper; a heating element disposed onthe at least one vertebra; a retaining connector that connects the wiperto a wiper arm; and an internal electrical connection device disposedwithin the retaining connector, wherein the at least one vertebra andthe heating element extends in a lengthwise direction of the wiper, andwherein the internal electrical connection device is positioned betweenan electrical connector connected to an electrical circuit of a vehicleand the heating element.
 2. The windscreen wiper blade assemblyaccording to claim 1, wherein the internal connecting device comprisesat least one metal part exerting pressure against the heating element toensure a permanent contact between the at least one metal part and theheating element.
 3. The windscreen wiper blade assembly according toclaim 2, wherein the at least one metal part is separable from theheating element.
 4. The windscreen wiper blade assembly according toclaim 2, wherein the metal part has a compression spring function. 5.The windscreen wiper blade assembly according to claim 2, wherein the atleast one metal part is a tongue terminating at an end in a curvedmanner having a crook shape curving upwards.
 6. The windscreen wiperblade assembly according to claim 2, wherein the at least one metal partis force-fitted in a hollow column in the connector perpendicular to theheating element.
 7. The windscreen wiper blade assembly according toclaim 6, wherein the at least one metal part includes asperities formingnon-return devices of the at least one metal part in the column.
 8. Thewindscreen wiper blade assembly according to claim 2, wherein the atleast one metal part is extended at a lower end by a foot extending in adirection inclined relative to the plane in which the heating elementlies, the foot is provided with a contact lug that extends in the planeof the heating element.
 9. The windscreen wiper blade assembly accordingto claim 1, wherein the at least one vertebra is a small blade that isintegrated into the length of a squeegee portion of the wiper.
 10. Thewindscreen wiper blade assembly according to claim 1, wherein theretaining connector includes at least one liquid feed tube that receivesa washing liquid and at least one distribution manifold that distributesthe washing liquid to at least one liquid channel in the wiper.
 11. Thewindscreen wiper blade assembly according to claim 10, wherein the wiperincludes a plurality of nozzles that spray the washing liquid onto asurface of the windscreen of the vehicle.